and Merkel gives it to them. She told the European Union that she wanted to lead the world in fighting global warming, but when her heavy industries protested, she silently backed down from her grand plans. Her original campaign promises are all long-broken, and now she is simply the candidate of 'normalcy.' If there's one thing that German voters don't want right now, it's change. And Merkel is just the one to not give it to them.

Yeah. Merkel is Obama's antithesis in many respects. But, amazingly, people really buy political marketing specialists' rubbish product. Waiting for "the other Germany" looks like waiting for a Godot.

One has to consider that Germany, of any country in the EU, has the biggest price to pay in fighting global warming because of its concentrated heavy industry, but that Germany is still one of the world's leaders in developing renewable energy technology. Although the fight against global warming is critical at this point, its hard to push through environmental reform when the economy is in such dire straits, especially since Germany might have to pay such a heavy price for cap and trade, for example.

Frankly I don't think we should judge Germany too harshly to buttoning down the hatches and laying low with the current government until the crisis is over. We in the US haven't had much success in passing major reform despite Obama's popularity and the obvious absolute necessity of doing so. I would also point out that although the CDU remains in power, the voting results were somewhat different from those of the last election. The FDP made enormous gains, as did some other smaller parties, which in my opinion indicates German's disappointment with the two major parties in general and longing for change.

"Frankly I don't think we should judge Germany too harshly..."

So says Bad Kreuznacher. ;- ).

Didn't Dick Cheney say the same thing about Scooter Libby?